Funky '64 (?) JM "serious player"

Discussion of vintage Jazzmasters, Jaguars, Bass VIs, Electric XIIs and any other offset-waist instruments.
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Funky '64 (?) JM "serious player"

Post by kimson » Wed Feb 13, 2019 6:38 am

Vintage JMs and Jags are so rare around these parts that only a few pop up for sale any given year, but this is what a local store posted today:

http://www.kitarakuu.fi/en/guitars/fend ... 64-player/

From the ad: "Electronics, body and hardware original (except one tuner?), body brush-painted over black (possible original color..?) Neck possibly non-original and modified, but period correct, another replacement neck W/ Jazzmaster decal included. Potentiometers from 1964, neck plate serial is L281xx."

Man, that thing is so funky and sketchy it'd be right up my alley... if it were, you know, €2k cheaper.

Anyway, since I'm sure someone here recognizes the guitar, I'd love to hear more about it.

(Sorry for not posting this in the "for sale" section, but I thought of it more as a "general interest" item.)

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Re: Funky '64 (?) JM "serious player"

Post by Axolotl » Wed Feb 13, 2019 6:51 am

Would like to know what's up with that huge neck pocket. Other than that, everything looks as described I think. Fairly sure black wasn't the original color, and about the neck, well if they say that it may not be original, most likely it isn't. Pretty sure back of the neck has been refinned as well. I'd point these things out and make an aggressive offer. That tort looks :?

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Re: Funky '64 (?) JM "serious player"

Post by leokula » Wed Feb 13, 2019 6:58 am

Axolotl wrote:
Wed Feb 13, 2019 6:51 am
That tort looks :?
Yeah man, dope indeed, the texture on the detail picture, wow!
Jaguar > Jazzmaster :)

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Re: Funky '64 (?) JM "serious player"

Post by kimson » Wed Feb 13, 2019 7:13 am

Axolotl wrote:
Wed Feb 13, 2019 6:51 am
Would like to know what's up with that huge neck pocket. Other than that, everything looks as described I think.
Yeah, I'd like to get a peek as well.

Oh, and just to clarify, I didn't mean there'd be anything sketchy about the ad or the seller, just that the guitar looks really funky.

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Re: Funky '64 (?) JM "serious player"

Post by s_mcsleazy » Wed Feb 13, 2019 10:41 am

looks like a good guitar for a good price.
offset guitars resident bass player.
'Are you trying to seduce me Mrs Robinson? Or do you just want me to solder a couple of resistors into your Muff?'

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Re: Funky '64 (?) JM "serious player"

Post by Francer » Wed Feb 13, 2019 1:21 pm

4.1kg, seems a little on the heavy side for a vintage JM.

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Re: Funky '64 (?) JM "serious player"

Post by Tree's » Wed Feb 13, 2019 8:52 pm

The neck pocket is not too big, the neck itself has been slimmed down for some reason , and check the lumpy reshape of that headstock too.
The one photo of it with the replacement neck mounted fits proper.

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Re: Funky '64 (?) JM "serious player"

Post by otis » Wed Feb 13, 2019 11:24 pm

I think the asking price is too much for a refin with a problematic neck.
If it was around 2000 euro I guess it could be considered reasonable, but even than I'd hold out for another one...

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Re: Funky '64 (?) JM "serious player"

Post by Sauerkraut » Thu Feb 14, 2019 7:45 am

Pickguard looks amazing, though I count 3 cracks and it either shrank a ton (check out the rhythm control cavity peeking out from under the guard) or the entire body isn't actually original(?), which might explain the neck pocket problem.
In the photo showing the cavity, the finish looks like roughly and thickly applied wall paint. They even got some on the knobs.

I'd ask them a bunch of questions before going to see it in person.

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Re: Funky '64 (?) JM "serious player"

Post by kimson » Thu Feb 14, 2019 9:21 am

I hate going to guitar stores, but this time I couldn't resist.

The guitar was just as iffy as described. The possibly original neck (no markings left on it) had been shaved narrower, the straight edge of the headstock had been cut all the way down to the tuner casings and the round part was reshaped and pretty lumpy. I guess it would be usable with a new nut (now the E/e slots were very close to the edge), but pretty it ain't. I didn't ask about the replacement neck.

The paintwork wasn't as atrocious as one might expect a brush hack job with wall paint to be, but it wasn't anyhere near nice and clean, either. The pickguard looked gorgeous.

I liked it for what it is and would be happy to own it, but the prices vintage guitars (not just this one, but in general) are fetching these days are a bit beyond my comprehension.

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